The Dangers Of Prolonged Sitting

Do you work in an office? Do you have a sedentary life? Read on and discover the dangers of sitting for a long time.

Most humans spend most of our time sitting, forgetting that our bodies need movement and exercise to function properly. Now, do you know the dangers of sitting for a long time?

According to the data gathered after several investigations, most people spend around 9.3 hours a day on some type of chair, while it is estimated that they only dedicate 7.7 hours to rest.

In this sense, a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology determined that there is a link between long periods of free time spent sitting and a higher risk of dying from all causes, in general.

It is not news that lack of movement is one of the main causes of different chronic diseases. Our body is not prepared for so much sedentary lifestyle and physical activity is key to the proper functioning of all our organs.

While standing all the time is not the solution, the idea is that you become aware of the importance of doing some type of physical activity and stretching regularly to reduce the negative effects of sitting for a long time.

Do you know the dangers of sitting for a long time?

Dangers of sitting

The following dangers are associated with prolonged sitting. Let’s see them:

1. Weight gain

According to research published in  The Lancet , obesity has risen considerably in recent years and has become a major global health challenge.

The cause of this increase is sedentary lifestyle, followed by poor diet. Sedentary lifestyle has become one of the main enemies of a healthy life and with the arrival of technology it has become a major problem.

Lack of physical activity hinders metabolism and the burning of calories, increasing the risk of obesity and being overweight.

2. Metabolic changes

Sitting is one of the worst forms of physical inactivity. This position significantly reduces the electrical activity of the muscles, which causes a noticeable change in metabolism.

When the body is sitting, it can only burn a third of the calories it burns when it is in movement or in full walk.

3. Posture problems

Long-term sitting can lead to severe lower back pain.

In this sense, doctors recommend adopting a more ‘relaxed’ position, so that when sitting an angle of up to 135 degrees is acquired. This pose puts less pressure on the back and prevents ailments.

4. Bad for heart health

A sedentary lifestyle can affect the cardiovascular system in the long term.  The doctors looked at the time people spend sitting and the breaks they take to stand up to walk or stretch.

As a result, they found that people who sit for a long time and make few movements are at high risk for heart problems , arterial blockage, and other cardiovascular complications.

In addition, this sedentary lifestyle was also related to an increased risk of diabetes, metabolic disorders, inflammatory processes, high triglyceride levels and a decrease in good cholesterol.

Tips to reduce sitting time

Although some people sit for a long time for reasons of taste, there are those who have no choice for work reasons.

Whatever the case, there are several tips that help reduce sitting time to reduce the negative impact that this situation has on health:

• Get up as many times as possible and walk into the office, either to pour yourself a glass of water or just to move around a bit.
• Every time you receive phone calls, do it standing up.
• Do stretching exercises every two to three hours (it will take a few minutes).
• Instead of using the elevator, take the stairs.
• Take advantage of the free time to do simple exercises.
• If you work at home, take the opportunity to move as much as you can, either to the kitchen, the bathroom, or moving around the house for a few minutes.
• Try to adopt a 30-minute routine of daily exercises in the morning or at night.
• If you have pets, don’t hesitate to go out with them to the park to move around while you walk them.